THE BATTLE OF HEXHAM (May 15, 1464), was fought during the Wars of the Roses, only twenty days after the Battle of Hedgeley Moor, in which the Yorkists had been victorious. Details of the engagement are scanty, sources giving widely varying accounts, but the rough outlines are thought to be the following:

Somerset and his remaining force of some 500 Lancastrians had moved farther south in Northumberland and camped in the Hexham Levels by the river called Devil's Water.1Montagu had received word of Somerset's location and moved against him fast with a force of nearly five thousand. Marching overnight, Montagu's troops had the element of surprise on their side—Somerset's men didn't have time to choose a better fighting ground, but were neatly trapped with the river at their back and flanks. A brief but bloody battle ensued, and the Lancastrian forces scattered, fleeing the field as best they could.

Somerset was soon caught and summarily executed at Hexham. The next day, Lord Hungerford and Lord Roos were captured in the adjoining forest and also put to death. In the following days, some 30 Lancastrian warriors of quality were put to death in various locations, perhaps the best to send a message to the North of England. Though Montagu's actions may seem extreme, it is to be remembered that the Lancastrians had done no less to Yorkist prisoners after previous battles. For his service, Montagu was created Earl of Northumberland by King Edward IV.

The Battle of Hexham and its aftermath effectively ended Lancastrian resistance in the North of England and closed the first chapter in the Wars of the Roses. The Wars of the Roses lay dormant for five years, before igniting again in 1469.

1. Some sources call it the diminutive "Dilswater";
Strickland seems to be the only source calling it Dowil Water.